City considers multiuse facility at Town Madison

MADISON – Minor-league baseball AND a multiuse civic building at Town Madison? City officials are looking at available options to make both ideas a reality.

Mayor Paul Finley announced on Nov. 8 that the City of Madison is exploring an opportunity to build a multiuse venue that would accommodate the need for civic meetings and events and work as the catalyst to bring a minor-league baseball team to Madison.

“City officials have met with an ownership group that has expressed a desire to relocate a team to North Alabama, pending league approvals and construction of a venue,” Finley said in a press release. “City officials have also been involved in preliminary discussions with architecture and construction professionals, been examining successful multi-use venue projects across the country and been considering possible sites within the city.”

A site under consideration is Town Madison, the proposed 500-acre, mixed-use development along I-565, he said.

“As Madison continues to enjoy tremendous growth, we are committed to enhancing our thriving economy by providing destinations and entertainment options for our citizens. We have an exciting opportunity to build a multiuse venue in our city that would provide much needed conference, meeting and event facilities, as well as position us to offer the fun, regional entertainment option of minor-league baseball,” Finley said.

“We anticipate and expect that the construction of a multi-use venue would attract additional family-friendly entertainment, as well as new shopping and dining options, which is a request I get from the community every day,” Finley said.

“We are working hard with our City Council to explore this opportunity to enhance our tax base and develop this project in a way that will add to our quality of life,” he said.

In coming weeks, Madison city leaders will continue evaluating all aspects of the possible project, including zoning, infrastructure needs, design, timeline, cost and finding financing solutions beyond the city’s General Fund. City officials also will continue communicating with community stakeholders as they explore this opportunity, Finley said.

In recent days, Ballcorps LLC gained approval from Major League Baseball in its quest for approval to buy the Mobile BayBears minor-league baseball team.